Motor vehicle



Dec. 22, 1936,

R. K. LEE

MOTOR'VEHICLE Filed May 3, 193

INI'ENTOR. R GER K LEE;

A TTORNEY Dec. 22,1936 Y 2,065,080

umrso A s ArEs PATENT OFFICE Roger- K. Lee, ni hiandr'ark. Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation ofDelaware.

Application May 3, 1933', Serial No. 669,113

' 10 Claims. (01.180-43) This invention relates to motor vehicles and considerable angles with respect to the frame of more especially to that type thereof in which both the vehicle, and at the same time the line of shaftdriving and steering is accomplished through the ing is moved in a vertical plane during swinging front wheels, the principal objects of the inven of the vehicle, the angularity of the wheel joints 5 tion being the provision of a new and novel drive become so great that undue stresses are set up 5 connection between the. front wheels and the rotor in it during transmission of power therethrough. piece of a vehicle. While three universal joints in each line of shaft- Another object is to incorporate between the ing between the differential mechanism and each motor and the front wheels of a vehicle, simple front wheel renders impossible sharp angular posiand efiicient means for effecting drive connections tions of the parts of the shafts at the wheel joint 10 while permitting a certain amount of relative roand at the same-time causes the jointed shafts to tation of the front wheels. be so yielding in a longitudinal direction that Another object is to reduce the number of uniexcessive breakage and wear do not occur, such versal joint connections required in the drive'conconstructions must include a differential mechanections between the motor and steerable front nism and at least six universal joints in the axle 15 wheels of a motor vehicle. assembly. The latter construction, even though Another object is to simplify the arrangement the differential mechanism is carried by the and construction of parts of the drive connection frame, adds a large amount of unsprung weight between the motor and steerable front wheels of to any motor vehicle, and in the case of a small an automobile. light weight car, the unsprung weight occasioned 20 Another object is to provide a simplified axle by such a construction would be so out of proporconstruction for. motor vehicles. tion to the weight of the vehicle as to render im- -Another object is to reduce the transmission of practical the incorporation of this type of drive vibration and road shock through the drive conconstruction therein. The unsprung weight of nections of a motor vehicle. any vehicle should be kept down to a minimum to 25 Another object is to reduce the size of the axle save wear and tear on the tires and to permit conand wheel spindle connections for front wheel trol of the vehicle while traveling at high speeds. drive motor vehicles. The present invention contemplates the pro- Other objectsand advantages will become apvision of a flexible'drive connection between the parent from the following description and apmotor and independently operable shafts forming pended claims. parts of an axle which maintain themselves in a For the purpose of illustrating the genus of the straight line between the axle yokes, these shafts invention, atypical concrete embodiment is shown each being connected through a single universal in the accompanying drawing, in which: joint to a front wheel. The universal joints are 5 Figure 1 is a more-or-less diagrammatic top made flexible in angular directions and yieldable plan of the fron't end of the chassis of a motor longitudinally'of the shaft so as to preclude breakvehicle embodying drive connections according to" age; The universal joints are also "torsionally the present invention; yieldable so as to permit a certain amount of rela- Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line tive rotation of the wheels so that whn employed 40 2-2 of Fig. 1; and in conjunction with flexible drive connections be- 40 Fig. 3 is a section, on a still larger scale, taken tween the engine and the independently operative on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. shafts, other differential mechanism will not be In the conventional front wheel drive construcrequired. The universal joints also provide yieldtions, the axle assemblies have usually included a able parts .rather than relatively movable and differential mechanism fixed to the frame of the mechanically engaged parts so that little or no 5 vehicle and one, two or three universal joints in wear of parts occurs. the lines of shafting extending between the dif- Referring to the drawing, and more particuferential mechanism and each of the front wheels. larly to Fig. 1, the numeral l0 designates the One or two universal joints in the lines of shafting frame of a motor vehicle to which is attached a between the differential mechanism and each of pair of semi-cantilever or quarter-elliptic springs 50 the front wheels, have been foundinsuflicient for ll extending forwardly of the frame and atpractical purposes in that too rapid wear and too tached at their front ends to a pair of sleeve high stresses occur during operation of the velike support members l2. The semi-cantilever hi'cle. This is due to the fact that when the type of springs permit very little side sway andwheels are turned during steering operation at require no shackles. A pair of yokes M are se- 55 shaft l1.

cured to the outer ends of the sleeve members l2 and constitute the axle yoke in which the spindles of the front wheels I 5 are pivoted. A pair of independently rotatable tubular shafts l6 are journaled in the sleeve members l2 and arranged in end-to-end relation upon a cylindrical Neither of the tubular shafts I6 is connected to the cylindrical shaft I! nor to the other tubular shaft. The cylindrical shaft I I, however, does make afairly close fit with the tubular shafts It so that this assembly maintains itself in a straight line. The sleeve-like support members l2 are journaled on the tubular shafts It to suitable hearings to maintain the sleeve members in desired alignment with respect to the tubular shafts l6 and to the cylindrical shaft I1 to maintain the yokes l4 in fixed alignment and to provide a shaft assembly which maintains itself in a straight line between the axleyokes l4. A drive pulley 20 is fixed to each of the tubular shafts l6 and the tubular shafts are connected through a flexible connection to the wheels l5 to operate the latter in a manner which will later be described more in detail. The drive pulleys 20 are connected by belt means 2|, preferably in the form of V belts, to drivingelements operated by the motor 22 of the vehicle. Preferably, these driving elements are movable forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle to vary thetension upon the belt means 2| to connect or disconnect the drive between the motor 22 and the wheels I5 of the vehicle.

The control of the drive connection between the motor 22 and the wheels I5 of the vehicle,

may be effected throughspeed reduction, clutch and transmission mechanism or may be effected in a simple manner by disposing the motor 22 jwith its crank shaft 23 arranged at the'bottom of the engine and transversely of the frame l0 and pivotally connecting the upper portionof the motor 22 to an upwardly extending support 24 fixed to the frame Ill. The specific drive connections and units employed between the motor and the crank shaft 23 may be extended beyond each side of the motor 22 and upon the ends of which are fixed the drive'pulleys 25 arranged in alignment with the drive pulleys 20 fixed to the tubular shafts l6, each pair of pulleys 25 and 20 being connected by a flexible belt 2|. The tension on the'belt 2| may be varied by swinging the bottom portion of the engine 22, and the pulleys 25 carried thereby, about the pivotal connection between the engine andthe support 24 nections and units employed between the motor.

and axle shafts may be varied widely without exceeding the scope of the invention, the abovedescribed means being given as one of the simplest possible arrangements for the purpose.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the wheel and axle assembly, shown in Fig. 1, will be explained more in detail. A bearing holder is secured in fixed relation tovthe inner end 'of each of the sleeve-like support members l2 and the body portionof this bearing holder provides a spring seat to which the front ends of the springs II are secured by means of spring clips 3|. The inner endof the bearing holder 3ll'is enlarged as indicated at 32 for the reception of the outer race 33 of a bearing 35. The inner race of bearing 35 is secured in fixed relation to one of the tubular drive shafts IS. The pulleys 20 are fixed to the tubular-drive shafts l5 in abutting relation with respect to the inner race 34 of the bearing 35.

The axle yokes l4 may be welded or otherwise suitably fixed to the outer ends of the sleevelike support members 12. v The body portions of the yokes are recessed as indicated at 36 for the reception of the outer race 31 of a bearing 40, a shoulder 38 being retained at the base of the recess in the body portion of theyoke l4 and against which the outer ends of the sleeve-like support members l2 and the inner faces of the outer races 31 of bearings 40 may abut. The

ends of the axle yoke I4 are provided with vertlcally disposed and aligned openings 4| for the reception of spindle pivot pins 42 and 43.. The body portion 44 of spindle 45 isalso provided with vertically disposed and aligned openings 46 for the'reception of the spindle pivot pins 42 and 43 in order to pivot the wheel spindles to the axle yoke. The spindles 45 are inclined downwardly and outwardly with respect to a line normal to the axes of the pivot pins 42 and 43 so as to afford asuitable camber of the front wheels of the vehicle. The cambering of the front wheels of a vehicle is to make the center line of the spindle pivot pins 42 and 43, if projected downwardly, intersect as near as practical 'the center of contact of the tires of wheels I5 with the ground. It is also noted that the front wheels of a vehicle have a tendency to spread at the bottoms and draw closer together at the tops when speeding due to deflection of the axle and takeup of play between parts of the wheel and axle assembly so that the cambering of the wheels is made slightly greater than that required for a vehicle at rest. The purpose of cambering of the front wheels of a vehicle is to' make. steering easier.

The hubs 41 of wheels l5 may be journaled on the outside of the spindles 45 through the intermediary of suitable bearings 4B. A spindle shaft 50 is disposed within the wheel spindle 45 and secured at its outer end to the hub 41 as by means of a pin 5|.- The inner end of spindle shaft 50 is journaled within the body portion 44- of spindle 45 by means of a bearing 52 provided with a spherical bearing surface 53 cooperating with a correspondingly shaped bearing surface 54 in the central portion of the body 44 of the spindle. The spherical bearing surfaces 53 and 54 are formed about a center coinciding with the center of the bearing and in alignment with the axes of the spindle pivot pins 42 and 43. Each spindle shaft 50 is connected to a tubular drive shaft I6 by means of a universal joint 55.

The universal joint 55 comprises a tubular body portion -59'of rubber or other yieldable material having securely bonded thereto an outer and an inner end member or disc 56 and 51. The discs or end members 56 and 51 may be vulcanized or otherwise securely bonded to the tubular and yieldable body portion 59 of. the joint 55.' The discs 56 and 51 are rigidly secured to the inner end of the spindle shaft 50 and to the outer end of the tubular drive shaft 16, respectively. The disc 56 may be-secured to the spindle shaft 50 by providing an enlarged portion 58 at the inner end of the spindle shaft 50 and providing radially disposed slot and key connections between the cooperating fa es of the disc and the'enlarged portion 58 of the spindle shafts. A bolt 6| projected through the disc'56 and threadably' en gaging the end of Spindle shaft 50 may be provided for'securing the disc and spindle 'shaftin" assembled relation. A connecting member 63 is provided with a flange which may be secured in concentric relation with respect to the disc 51 by means of screws 65. The inner end of the member63 is threaded for the reception of a nut 66 adapted to retain a connecting member 61 in assembled relation with respect to the connecting member63, the connecting members 63 and 61 being secured against relative rotation by means of a slot and T connection, indicated at 10. The total length of the tubular shafts I6 is somewhat greater than the length of the shaft I! so that the outer ends of the shafts I6 project beyond the end of the shaft I! where they enclose the connecting members 61 and are welded thereto as ing body 52.

indicated at 68. A steering spindle arm ll may be secured to the body portion 44 of. spindle 45 by means of a bolt 12 as indicated in Fig. 3. The other end of the steeringspindle arm ll may be attached to a tie rod- 13 to maintain the wheels in the desired relative alignment.

The tubular body portion 59 of the universal joint 55 is made angularly yieldable to provide a flexible connection'between the tubular shafts l6 out of alignment in one plane due to the cambering of the wheels 15. During steering operations of the vehicle-the tubular body portion of the universal joint 55 is deflected in another plane normal to the plane of deflection incident to the cambering of'the wheels. The tubular body portion of the universal joint is made longitudinally yieldable to accommodate the deflection of the body member 59 inthe twoplanes mentioned without imposing too great a tension on the bear- The tubular. bodyqportion of the joint 55 is also made torsionally-yieldable so that a certain amount-oi relative rotation of the .wheels l may occurywithout the" use of other differential devices; It is also noted that the yieldable belt 2| will also j permit a certain amount of relativerotation of the wheels i5. It is also noted that a certain amount of slippage may occur between the pulleys-20 and 25 and the belt 2| to permit a further amount of relative rotation of the wheels l5. It will also be noted that the tubular body portions 59 of the universal joints normally maintain the wheels I 5 in substantially right angle positions with respect to the axles except for the allowance made for the toe-in and camber of the wheels. This is due to the restoring force of the rubber material which tends to maintain the least possible angle between the shaft sections l1 and 50 so that the body portions 59 also serve in conjunction with the spindle arins H and tie 'rod 13 as means for causing the steering wheels l5 of the vehicle to be self aligning. The tubular members 59 may be replaced if-worn or damaged by rotating the shaft section i1 until the screws 65 clear the yoke I4, removing these screws and rotating the wheel spindle until the bolt 6| becomes accessible through the center of the tubular member.

It is noted that in'the above construction, no universal joints are placed in alignment with the axis of the spindle pivot pins, or between the spindle pivot pins and the wheels, so that the spindle pivot pins do not need to be widely spaced, for the accommodation of universal joint part or parts interconnecting universal joints. In the present construction, the central pivot pins 42 and 43 need be spaced only sufficiently to allow for the accommodation of a small bearing 52. This enables the applicant to reduce the size of the axle and wheel spindle connection for front wheel drive motor vehicles. It is also noted that in the above construction the yieldable tubular member 59 of the universal joint 55 and the yieldable belts 2| serve to reduce the transmission of vibration and road shocks through the drive connections.

' As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely differend-to-end relation on but unsecured to said member, universal joint means secured to the outer end of each tubular shaft, drive means secured to each tubular shaft, a support member journaled on each tubular shaft, an axlev yoke fixed to the outer end of each support member, a wheel spindle pivotally connected to each yoke, a wheel journalled on each spindle, and a spindle shaft journalled in each spindle and connected at one end to one of the universal joints and at the other end to one of the wheels for driving the latter.

2. In combination, a motor vehicle provided I with a pair of steering wheels, 9. motor, means for resiliently supporting said motor relative to said wheels, a pair of driving connections operable by said motor, each driving connection including belt means and flexible shafting, the flexible shafting of each driving connection including but a single universal joint having a yieldable part, said part being longitudinally, angularly and torsionally yieldable.

3. In a motor vehicle, a wheel and axle assembly comprising an elongated cylindrical member, a pair of tubular shafts arranged in end-toend relation on but unsecured to said member, drive means secured to each tubular shaft, 9. support'member journalled on each tubular shaft,

.port member, a universal joint secured to the outer end of each tubular shaft, each universal joint being arranged within one of the yokes, a wheel spindle pivotally connected to each yoke, a wheel journaled on each spindle, a spindle shaft journalled on each spindle and connected at one end to one of the universal joints and at the other end to one of the wheels for driving the latter, and a bearing for each spindle shaft arranged in said spindles at the axes of the pivotal connections between said spindles and said yokes.

4. In a motor vehicle, a frame, an engine mounted transversely of said frame, springs secured to said frame, sleeve-like support members secured to said spring, tubular shafts journaled in said sleeve member, a cylindrical member disposed in said tubular shafts for maintaining the shafts in aligned relation, a pair of pulleys mounted on said engine and operable thereby, one of said pulleys being arranged at each side of the engine, a pulley fixed to each tubular shaft in alignment with one of the end of each tubular shaft to the inner end of each spindle shaft.

5. In an automotive vehicle, a steerable wheel having a spindle shaft, an axle assembly including"a"'support, a driving member journaled in said support, an elongated supporting member disposed in said driving member, a resilient nonmetallic joint arranged between said driving member and said spindle shaft, and means connecting said joint with said driving member and spindle shaft including a pair of plate like members each fixed to an end of said joint and said spindle shaft and driving member respectively.

6. In an automotive vehicle, a steerable wheel having a spindle shaft, an axle assembly including a support, a driving member journaled in said support, an elongated supporting member disposed in said driving 'member, a resilient nonmetallic' joint arranged between said driving member and said spindle shaft, and means connecting said joint with said driving member and spin'ne shaft including a pair of plate like members each fixe"- to an end of said joint and said spindle shaft and driving member respectively, said plate like members being arranged in..nonparallel relationship.

7. In a front wheel drive for an automotive vehicle, a driving and supporting axle assembly including an,outer supporting member, a driving member journaled'in said outer member, an inner elongated supporting member, said members having substantially concentric axes, a steerable wheel and a support therefor having an axis nonconcentric with respect to said axes, and a resilient joint arranged between said driving member and wheel support including disc like members one fixed to an end of said joint and said driving member and wheel support respectively, said discs having an axis concentric with respect to the axes of said members and the axis of said wheel support respectively.

8. In an automotive vehicle, a combined driving and steering wheel having a support member,

a driving member, a non-metallic joint comprising a body of rubber having a substantially greater length than the transverse dimension thereof arranged between said members, and means connecting said joint with said members whereby said joint is axially aligned with one of said members and in misalignment with the other of said members.

9. In an automotive vehicle, a combined driving and steering wheel having a support member, a driving member, and a resilient joint arranged between said members to provide an initial camber for said wheel, said joint being freely yieldable in one plane toprovide a flexible drive between said members and being freelyv deflectableduring steering operation in another plane normal to the plane of deflection incident 

